Stuck Fermentation -- Please Help

[TimmyR]

Two questions:

1. Scotch Ale OG 1.110 - pitched Wyeast 1338 from a 500ml starter; lag time was 14 hours. It bubbled like crazy for 5-days. I racked to secondary day 7, gravity 1.063. Day 14 checked gravity, 1.062. Tastes great besides how sweet it is of course. Recipe was extract with steeped grains basically. Any suggestions? What about pitching some White Labs California Ale yeast?

2. Last night pitched Wyeast Trappist Ale yeast into 500 ml starter. Oxygenated. As of today (14 hours later) it does not appear to have any significant activity....still cloudy, some sediment on bottom (not much) some small bubbles rising thru liquid; no activity on fermentation lock. Do I brew my Tripel today and pitch....or wait?

Thanks

[diver]

1. A 500 ML starter isn't nearly enough for a gravity of 1.110. A gallon starter or repitching off a lower gravity beer should avoid a stuck fermentation. I would make a quart starter with the California and pitch it at high krausening or 8 to 12 hours.

2. I'm not familiar with that yeast but others I've made a starter with sometimes show no activity in a starter. At a low starter gravity like 1.040 especially in a 500ML starter there just isn't enough sugars for the yeast to consume to show much activity.

[TimmyR]

Good 'nuff for now. I know I under-pitched the the Scotch Ale. So you think fire up a 1 qt starter and pitch again??? Should I Oxygenate?

[bub]

DO NOT ADD O2
Throw like 3 packs of us56 dry yeast in there or the equivalent dry yeast to what you are using... it won't need to grow up and will just take over.
I have found that dry is best for repitching cause it needs less hand holding.
BUB

[Sherlock Holmboy]

US-56 is a good idea, definitely don't oxygenate. Even though you didn't have a hefty enough starter, you should have waited more than 7 days for secondary with a beer this big. 7 days is a nice rule of thumb for smaller to meduim strength beers, but high gravity beers need abit longer.

[TimmyR]

Thanks gents. I had a feeling I racked a bit early as well. I am putting in a order today and will grab 3 packs of US56. Sadly I need a refresher on rehydrating dry yeast. Thanks.

[bub]

don't worry about rehydrating.... stow that...
boil 1cup water cool to pitching temp, add yeast, wait 10-15 minutes... pitch
BUB

[TimmyR]

Very Good. RE: #2, my Trappist Yeast took off by the time I ptiched and lag was <12 hours.

Ordering dry yeast now....must save Scotch ale...if it tastes good 45% fermented, it has to be good once it goes the distance.